Of Snakes and Power
by Richardred
Summary: AU. Harry adopted a snake when he was ten years old and he slowly learns that he isn't going to live of people's pity. There is a lot of power to seek and Harry grabs it. When you are the Boy-Who-Lived, power is much more easy to come across. Eventual Dark!Harry and Powerful!Harry
1. Prologue

**Hello readers, **

**This story contains two what-if's:**

**1. It really bugged me that Harry never really used his ability to speak to snakes, except when he really needed to do so. What if Harry had adopted a snake at the age of ten?**

**2. Harry's been through shit. When people go through shit, they tend to turn out… well… let's just say that Harry will seek power. **

**I'm starting off with a very small prologue of Harry's first encounter with the snake. **

****Looking for a beta****

**I own nothing recognisable. Don't we all wish we did?**

* * *

Harry had known from a very young age that he was different than the other kids from his class. He had powers, not too different than the ones he knew super heroes had.

At seven, Harry decided he was a super hero. He couldn't tell anyone though; that would beat the purpose.

At eight, Harry questioned his powers. He could run away from Dudley's gang. He could make them hurt. He could appear on the school's roof. He could change his teacher's hair. He could summon food if he was really hungry. He could unlock the cupboard under the stairs when Uncle Vernon would lock him up.

All he needed to do was dwell on it for a long time, but super heroes could do it instantly.

At nine, Harry knew he was no super hero. He didn't want to save the world anymore. The world was cruel to him.

At ten, Harry had the best birthday gift he could ever remember having. The gift came from Mother Nature, he decided. It was strange how it happened on his birthday.

He was hiding in the backyard for Aunt Petunia was in a foul mood and he would much rather avoid her. The backyard did not offer much hiding place and the best he could do was hid behind one of the perfectly trimmed bush.

The shade of the bush would make the hiding spot a comfortable place on this warm sunny day as Harry's baggy clothes did nothing to help. The sweat on his face made his round glasses slip down his nose every now and then.

Harry had plumped down on his stomach to try and get his head closer to the bush where he thought it might be less warm. This did not make anything better, still it was a comfortable spot.

Harry picked at some grass on the ground wondering if he could ever just run away or if he'd be doomed with the Dursleys for the rest of his life.

If ever he learned more powers, he thought, he'd get them.

The thought of them screaming in pain made a small smile crept on his face.

He'd get them one day.

It was then that Harry heard it.

'I know it's out here somewhere… Or perhaps… no… it was definitely here…'

Harry jumped up to his knee and searched around for the mysterious speaker. It had been a voice he had not recognise. It was small and fainted, but one of a man he was sure.

A small snake – about the size of Harry's arm - crept out of the bushes and Harry froze. He had never seen one before. It wasn't all that scary. Harry wasn't sure if it was poisonous though and thought he might not want to risk provoking it.

'Oh… a human… frighten, no doubt.' Harry swore the snake said.

'You can talk?' Harry's mouth spoke before he could come to his senses.

Obviously, someone was playing a bad joke with him.

'You speak snake?' The snake had stopped to look at Harry.

'No, I speak human… You're the one who's speaking human.' Harry informed him.

Or, Harry thought wildly, this could be another one of his power… Spiderman, Batman… perhaps he was Snakeman?

No, he thought, super heroes were childish.

Or, were they?

'I know not how to speak human.' The snake said firmly.

'I have powers.' Harry told him. 'Maybe I can speak snake?'

'It certainly seems so.' The snake nodded.

'Are you poisonous?' Harry asked.

Best to know, just in case.

'Ah, yes, I do believe I am.' The snake replied.

'I've never spoke to a snake before.' Harry admitted.

'And, I've never spoke to a human before.' The snake said approaching Harry.

'Do you have a name?' Harry asked him.

'No, I'm very independent.' The snake explained. 'I do my own things…'

'You could still have a name.' Harry said. 'Everyone has a name. I do my own things too and I have a name. My name is Harry.'

'How did you come up with that?' The snake asked.

'I didn't. Your parents are supposed to decide your name.' Harry told the snake.

'I don't have parents.' The snake said thoughtfully as though trying to remember if he did have parents.

'Me neither.' Harry said sitting down because his knees were starting to hurt. 'They died when I was just a baby.'

'It's all part of the circle of life.' The snake said wisely. 'You're on your own now?'

'No, I can't be on my own until I'm of age.' Harry explained. 'It's against the law.'

'Well, I've been alone for as long as I can remember.' The snake said. 'Humans have weird issues. We, snakes, can do whatever we want, whenever we want.'

'Must be nice.' Harry mumbled.

'It is.' The snake nodded.

Harry sigh. 'What are you doing around here anyway?'

'I was looking for some food I left around here earlier, but I can't seem to find it.' The snake said.

'What kind of food do you eat?' Harry asked. 'I might be able to sneak some from my aunt.'

'Whatever you have, I'm not all fussy.'

Harry got up. 'Go up my leg… under my pants. Don't let anyone see you.'

'Why?' The snake said intrigue.

'They'll try to kill you, won't they? Humans are really cruel… Everyone's cruel to me as well.' Harry said as a matter-of-factly. 'We're on the same boat.'

'Why don't you leave them?' The snake said going up his leg.

'I told you,' Harry explained as he walked towards the house, 'it's against the law.'

'Do you die if you break the law?' The snake asked curiously.

'No, but… you just can't break it or the police will be after you.' Harry said. 'Then I'd end up in jail… or Uncle Vernon would kill me… one or the other.'

'Humans really have time to waste, don't they?'

Harry laughed a bit.

After successfully stealing some food and bringing it to his cupboard along with the snake, Harry decided he wouldn't mind adopting the snake. He never had anyone before. It would be his secret. No one would know and – as far as he knew – no one else could speak to snakes.

'Do you want to live with me?' Harry offered. 'I'd get you some food anytime you want.'

'And, what is there to do around here?' The snake considered.

'We'll find something.' Harry said.

'Ah… well, I've never lived with a human before.' The snake said. 'I see benefits from it though.'

'Benefits?' Harry echoed.

'Yes, why do something when there is nothing for you to gain?' The snake said wisely. 'I must look after myself and so do you. When you see power, you seek it, my friend.'

'I have power!' Harry said. 'I just have difficulty using it.'

'Well then, we've found ourselves something to do. I daresay, we could make a great team.'

Harry nodded proudly at his very first friend. 'Alright then.' He ate a bite of apple before adding, 'and your name should be Snapper.'

* * *

**Small, but I covered the how and why Harry and the snake became acquaintance. The chapters will be much longer. **

**Harry's mind is still at a ten years' old level. I hope I did it ok? Let me know if I'm over or under doing it. **

**Thanks in advance for your reviews!**

**Richardred**


	2. The Hero and the Snake

**Thank you so much for all of those who support the story in any way! I didn't expect to get so many out of the prologue. **

**Back to business, as you can see, I'm not very fast at updating. I'm currently working on a degree, so time is money. **

**About the story, I did say it would be an _eventual_ Powerful!Harry and Dark!Harry. Let's remind ourselves that Harry is currently innocent. He won't be dark and powerful from one day to another. **

**Last but not least, thank you to my Beta, Hawa DL, for doing a fabulous job on this chapter. She's truly amazing, go check her out!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - The Hero and the Snake**

_There was a tale._

_Not that it was surprising, there was always a tale for matters like these. The story itself had the same basic elements each time it was told. It was merely the details that changed from recital to recital._

_The tale had many versions, all settled down into two categories: those for adults and those for children._

_Molly Weasley remembered a time when her younger children had asked about the tale._

_'Mummy…' Five-year-old Ron had sat on the couch beside her, looking positively confused. 'Who's Harry Potter? Fred and George laughed at me… just because I don't know who he is.'_

_Molly internally cursed and stopped her knitting. Arthur had told them the tale just about a week ago. Molly wasn't sure whether Ron was old enough to hear it. She decided she'd better tell him though, or Fred and George might make up their own version._

_'Harry Potter is a hero.' Molly told him as Ginny, who had been hiding behind the couch, came to sit down beside her brother. 'A real one.'_

_'Can you tell me the story, Mummy?' Ron asked excited._

_'Me, too!' Ginny said, getting to her feet on the couch._

_Ron was one thing, but Ginny…_

_Then again, she'd rather she learn it from her._

_'A couch is for sitting, Ginny.' Molly scolded her. 'If you sit down like a good girl, I'll tell you the story.'_

_'Yayyyyyy!' yelled Ginny, jumping up and down on the couch._

_'Sit!'_

_The little girl grinned before sitting down smartly with a plop._

_'Once upon a time, there was a bad wizard…,' Molly started. 'Everyone was afraid of him. He was really scary…'_

_'What did he do?' Ron asked, his eyes glinting._

_'He… made all the Muggles go away,' Molly explained, 'and even some wizards who tried to protect the Muggles. Harry Potter was just a baby at the time. The bad wizard found his parents and made them go away, but little Harry Potter made the bad guy disappear, and everyone lived happily ever after.'_

_There. Short and sweet._

_'With magic?' Ron asked._

_'Yes, with magic.' Molly confirmed. 'And, Ginny, if I have to ask you to sit down one more time…'_

_'Cool!' Ron said, getting a toy wand out and pretending to be Harry Potter._

_As childish as Molly had made the tale, those were the basics. It was the details that enriched the story, and Molly was sure that Ron and Ginny were much too young to hear them. There would come a time when they would learn of the rest, but not for now._

_For now, Harry Potter was a simple hero._

* * *

Revenge.

It sounded sweet as it rolled on Harry's tongue.

He was crouching behind the curvy yellow slide of the school's playground. There were children's screams and laughter all around. The sun was shrouded behind grey clouds full of rain. Snapper, the snake, was hiding in his jacket's sleeve, hissing—as his way of speaking—back at him.

Revenge was what Harry wanted, and he told Snapper all about it. Harry's way of talking to him was by pretending to lay his head on his hands. It was an easy task as the weather required the use of a jacket, however, spring had arrived. Soon, Harry would have to find a new way to hide and talk to his friend at school.

It was hard to believe that Harry had met Snapper nine months ago._ Nine months_. And, still, nobody knew of Snapper's existence.

There was a time when Harry would have loved to tell Dudley of his friend.

That'd show him, he had thought.

However, Snapper had requested that he did not tell Dudley, for he would tell his father. Uncle Vernon would flip and get rid of the snake. Harry knew Snapper was probably right, so he had not breathed a word to anyone about his unusual friendship.

Now in the present under the slide, Harry sighed.

'I just want to make him feel what he makes me feel!' Harry poured his heart out to the snake. He was talking, of course, about Dudley.

'I don't see it as necessary.' Snapper replied.

'But—?'

'Harry…,' the snake hissed. 'Why is this so important? You're acting with your heart. That's the problem with the human race. You're too emotional. You care too much. At the end of the day, it won't get you anywhere. If I was to get revenge on every animal that tried to eat me—'

'It's not the same thing!' Harry argued.

'How is it different? Actually, it's worse than what Dudley did. At least Dudley didn't try to kill you,' the snake stated.

'I can't just let him win,' Harry mumbled.

'It's not about winning or losing,' the snake said, getting out of Harry's sleeve and onto the ground. 'You can't change the past, but you can change the future. Is getting revenge on Dudley going to make your future better?'

Harry grimaced. 'I suppose it'd make it worse… Uncle Vernon would kick me out. On second thought, that might be a good thing. What do you think would happen if they kicked me out?'

Snapper rolled his eyes. 'How would I know? Couldn't you find the answer in a book or something?'

'I don't know, I don't really like reading,' Harry reminded Snapper.

'You're lazy,' the snake said. 'Do you not see how much information you have at your hands just by reading a book? I'm surprised that nobody does it much. Do you not see how much power you have as a human?'

'Ugh…,' Harry said, letting out a long groan. 'Reading is boring.'

'You should teach me,' Snapper said, curling up on the little rocks.

'What?' Harry asked, confused. 'Teach you what? How to read?'

'Yes,' Snapper said thoughtfully. 'It'd be handy.'

Harry gasped. 'I can't just _teach_ you to read.'

'Why not?' Snapper challenged.

'Well, for starters, you're a snake,' Harry said carefully. 'You can't speak human, so how are you supposed to read it?'

'If you read it to me while talking in snake,' Snapper said, 'I might have a chance.'

'Fine,' Harry said, giving up easily as the lunch break was coming to an end. 'But one day I'm still getting my revenge on Dudley.'

* * *

Spring had quickly fallen into summer. Without school, hiding Snapper became harder. Harry sometimes feared that Uncle Vernon would find him or Aunt Petunia would step on him, however, Snapper was always on his guard.

On 24 July, Harry woke up quite nervously. It took him a moment to realise why.

'In exactly a week, it'll be my eleventh birthday,' he informed Snapper as they crawled out of bed—well, technically Snapper slept under it. 'It'll be a year since we met each other. I don't think any birthday present is going to top that.'

'We'll have to wait and see,' the snake said, going up his leg. 'I'm hungry.'

'Let's get breakfast going, then.' Harry sighed. 'I'm surprised Aunt Petunia hasn't come tearing down my door yet.'

'We might be early,' the snake commented. 'You should get one of those clock things in here.'

'If I had one, I would,' Harry mumbled.

'I can steal one,' Snapper suggested.

'No! The Dursleys will know that it's me,' Harry said very fast, his heart jumping at the very thought of Uncle Vernon's big fist.

'Do I look stupid?' Snapper asked while Harry got dressed. 'I'd steal it from someone else's house.'

'Oh… I don't know about that,' Harry said nervously. 'You're not really supposed to steal…'

'Says who?'

'The law.'

'I've had it with your laws,' replied Snapper. 'It'll be to our advantage, and nobody will know. I don't see the problem.'

'If you really want to,' Harry acquiesced with a shrug.

He didn't really agree with the snake, but he didn't want to come off as a coward either. And anyway, Snapper was right, a clock would come in handy—especially when stealing food.

Come to think of it, they stole food all the time, so why should it be different this time? Sure, it wasn't stealing from the Dursleys, but no one else ever came to his help except Snapper. Really, it wasn't at all a bad thing.

Snapper had been right, the Dursleys were still sleeping. Harry got breakfast started, and Aunt Petunia entered the kitchen ten minutes later.

'For once in your life, you're awake on time. It still doesn't make up for burning the bacon yesterday,' she snapped before taking out some plates. 'Vernon and Dudley will be up soon, maybe breakfast could be ready when they arrive for once.'

Harry bit his tongue while trying not to talk back. It was true that he wasn't always on time, but it wasn't the first time he was. This whole 'for once' thing was just a way of angering him.

Eventually, Dudley and Uncle Vernon both dragged their fat bottoms down the stairs.

Harry—like usual—was told to fetch the post from where it laid on the doormat as it arrived in the middle of breakfast. Much to his surprise, a letter came for him.

'Snapper,' he whispered, still in the hall, and said snake popped his head out of the bottom of Harry's pants. 'I've got a letter! It's my first one…_ever_.'

Harry was about to go back to the kitchen when Snapper stopped him.

'Hide it in the cupboard!'

'What? Why?'

'Haven't you learn anything by now?' the snake asked, exasperated. 'If we want anything to remain in our possession…'

'…we hide it in the cupboard. Right, sorry!' said Harry, a bit ashamed of his stupidity.

Harry made a very quick detour to the cupboard to drop off the letter, which earned him a speech of 'how slow and unworthy he was' by Uncle Vernon. Harry didn't care much as long as he wasn't caught with his letter or his snake.

Harry spent the remaining of breakfast wondering who the letter was from and, most importantly, what was in it. He wished he had paid more attention to it. He had been so busy telling Snapper about it that he hadn't really looked at the envelope itself.

He was thinking of the wildest things. Perhaps it was from an unknown relation of his father, and they'd take him and Snapper away from the Dursleys. Of course, in his reverie, his father's relation was impressed by his ability to speak to snakes.

It was only when he was finishing up the dishes that his bubble of joy busted. It was probably from the public school he was attending in the fall, welcoming him. Yeah, that'd most likely be it.

Harry sighed as he made his way to his cupboard, somewhat disappointed but still in a fairly good mood. Oh, how wonderful the coming fall would be! No more Dudley at school! Perhaps he'd even make friends this year. Human friends. He wore a small smile at the thought.

Snapper got out of Harry's pants as soon as they entered the dark cupboard. They didn't stay there long, however, as Harry quickly grabbed the letter, told Snapper to hide again, and proceeded to walk to the park nearby.

As it was still early the park was deserted. Harry sat on one of the few benches and looked at the letter properly. It felt funny, not at all like paper. But if it wasn't made out of paper, then what…?

'Parchment,' Snapper told him, answering his unasked question.

'What they used before paper was invented?' Harry asked, finding the concept of someone using such a thing just to write him a letter quite weird to say the least.

'Yes, I saw a picture of it in one of the books you lent me,' Snapper explained.

'I didn't think they still made this,' Harry said while noticing that there wasn't a return address.

Harry tore it open slowly, afraid of ripping the letter that was inside. The letter, too, was made of parchment. It was folded perfectly in three, as if the writer had folded it very carefully.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_  
_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_  
_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

If Harry had been drinking something, he would have spat it out. He became oblivious to everything around him—even his snake. He hadn't taken in anything except the first line:

_You have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Witchcraft and Wizardry._

'Wizards?' he murmured to himself, feeling numb.

Dudley was pranking him. That had to be it.

'So you're a wizard, then?' came Snapper's voice.

'Of course I'm not,' Harry replied faintly.

'It would certainly explain why you can speak snake, wouldn't it?' Snapper said, like this was the best news he'd heard all year.

'Right…,' Harry murmured, his brain still not working properly.

'Your powers!' exclaimed Snapper. 'It's probably magic. You're a wizard! We are going to that school of yours. You know, I was reading about wizards just the other day—thank you for teaching me how to read, by the way—though, it was actually witches I read about. They used to burn them down, but I suppose now they're in hiding. That's why people think it's only a myth or something of the sort.'

'Right…,' Harry repeated.

'Are you even listening to me?' Snapper snapped.

Harry just let out a nervous laugh and then read the letter really slowly, doing his utmost to capture every word and commit it to memory.

He was accepted to a wizard's school. He wasn't going to go to that public school because he was a wizard. He could talk to snakes, he had unknown powers he never used to be able to explain… Of course he was a wizard! It was so obvious!

And yet…

'How do we know this isn't a joke?' Harry asked.

It was a bit insane, after all.

'Why won't you believe that it's true?' the snake asked, his voice pitched in such a way as to suggest that he already knew the answer.

'Because…wizards don't exist!'

'Says who?'

'The…the… Everyone! It's common knowledge! It's just…Halloween stuff…,' Harry tried to explain, clearly struggling to come up with a decent argument.

'Fine,' stated Snapper. 'Let's suppose someone told you that you could talk to snakes and you and I haven't met, would you believe them?'

'No, but—'

'Exactly! Remember when you made your aunt's apple pie appear in the cupboard because we were starving to death?' Snapper reminded him.

'Right… Maybe I am a wizard,' Harry said with a small grin, wanting nothing more than to believe it was true. But then he frowned. 'I must be rubbish at it though. I have to be, you know, desperate to make my powers, I mean, my magic work.'

'Yes, but witches have spells; you just don't know them yet,' reasoned Snapper.

'But… No way,' Harry whispered. 'If I'm a wizard…and I got accepted to this school…' His heart was beating slowly yet it felt like it was going to jump out of his chest at any moment.

'Looks like our days in the cupboard are over,' Snapper nodded.

And so Harry dared to believe it true—He was a wizard!—and soon he felt so excited that his hands wouldn't stop shaking.

'What am I supposed to do? Do I tell the Dursleys? Though, mightn't they already know?' pondered Harry, thinking aloud. 'Do you think it's genetic? Maybe my father was a wizard! It can't be my mother, or Aunt Petunia would be a witch as well… Where is this school anyway?'

'Whoa,' Snapper stopped him. 'One problem at a time.'

Harry didn't even know what to do with himself at this point. He got up and walked pointlessly around the bench. 'Do you think I have to tell the Dursleys?' he asked.

Snapper, who had remained calmly on the bench, responded, 'I don't know. What else does it say in that letter of yours?'

'That term begins 1 September, but it doesn't say where it is or where I have to go. So, do you think it's a boarding school? It sort of sounds foreign…or, you know, far away.' Harry started rambling again. 'They await my owl by 31 July—Oi! That's my birthday! I don't have an owl though. Do you think I'm supposed to have one? I wonder why they would want it.'

'You should really read the second page,' Snapper suggested.

'Oh, right…'

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_UNIFORM_

_First-year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_  
_by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic_  
_by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory_  
_by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Begginer's Guide to Transfiguration_  
_by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_  
_by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions_  
_by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_  
_by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_  
_by Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPEMENT_

_1 wand_  
_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_  
_1 set glass or crystal phials_  
_1 telescope_  
_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS_

_ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

'Where are we supposed to find all of this? There isn't even an address I could send a letter to! It almost feels…'

'Do not say fake,' Snapper said. 'You know deep down that it's true. We finally have an explanation for your weird powers. You know what we have to do, right?'

'Er…no?' Harry responded, confused.

'Run away!' Snapper said with excitement.

'Excuse me?' gasped Harry.

'Your aunt and uncle can't know about this,' Snapper said thoughtfully. 'The only thing we can do is run away to that school. It's a secret.'

'Oh,' Harry said looking down at the letter for some kind of explanation. 'But how will we know where to go? I don't think it's a good idea.'

'Do you want to stay in that cupboard with the Dursleys forever?' Snapper asked.

'Well, no, but—'

'You'll leave if you're not a coward,' Snapper said, rolling his eyes. 'Look at it this way: You could stay and wait for some unknown stranger to rescue you—which hasn't happened in ten years—or you could stop whining about Dudley, get your act together, and leave. It's up to you. You've just received a big opportunity.'

And then he remembered that Snapper was almost always right.

Harry sighed. 'I'm not a coward.'

'Prove it!' Snapper challenged.

'If we do this and we get caught,' Harry warned, 'just remember that it was all your idea.'

'Don't worry about it,' Snapper reassured him.

'Are we leaving now?' asked Harry nervously.

'Of course not,' the snake laughed. 'We have to plan it out first. We'll need to have all the required information, so we should head to the public library.'

'What?' Harry asked in surprise. 'You want to go read?'

'Yes, about Wizards.'

'Oh,' Harry said as he folded the letter and put it in his pocket. 'Let's go to the library then.'

For the first time in his life, Harry actually wanted to read.

* * *

The lady at the counter of the library was a very sweet one. She was old and carried an odd smell, but she was one of the nicest people Harry had ever met.

'I want to read about wizards and witches, please,' Harry had told her.

So, she had lead him to a corner where the books looked like they'd been untouched for years.

'We have a lot on the burning of witches,' the old lady had explained patiently with a gentle smile. 'And, over there, we have a few that are about…well, I'm not really sure, dear, but you can have a look at whichever ones you would like.'

With Snapper's help, Harry picked out a few books and sat down on a faraway table where no one would spot them unless they decided to specifically search for said table.

'There's nothing,' groaned Harry after an hour and a half. 'All I can find is stuff about the witch hunts. It's all anyone seems to care about.'

'No, no,' said Snapper quickly and pushed his book towards Harry with his tail. 'This book has a lot of legends and old-wives tales and the like.'

'If it's about the burnings…' Harry started, annoyed.

'No, listen,' Snapper started. 'There's a tale here from back in the 1500's. It says that there's some sort of a gateway between the wizarding world and the regular world in London.'

'Where?' Harry asked while trying to find the passage in the book.

'Fourth paragraph from the bottom.' Snapper pointed to it with his head. 'The story says it's on Charing Cross Road, wherever that is. It's supposed to be a broken-down old shop.'

'Hm. Do you think you have to use a spell to get across?' asked Harry, worried.

'Probably,' Snapper said, sounding a bit worried as well. 'But I suppose we could go poke around tomorrow.'

'How are we going to find the road? Oh! Never mind, we're in a library,' Harry said with a click of his tongue.

* * *

Summer 'vacation' had not been in Minerva McGonagall's dictionary for a long, long time. After all, there were things to be done before the new school year, and she was going to make sure that they were done well.

It wasn't surprising that she was one of the only teachers to stay at Hogwarts during this period. The other professors would come by about a week before the school term was to start.

Currently, Minerva was knocking on the headmaster's office door. Of course, Albus Dumbledore was always around this time of day.

'Come in,' she heard him say.

Minerva let herself in. The headmaster was sitting on his usual chair behind his desk.

'I thought it might be you. Are you here to take a week off?'

There was a smile in his sparkling eyes that just about annoyed her.

'_A week off?_ When there are so many things still to be done! I received about fifty letters from the first years today. Only one declined, said he wanted to be home-schooled. It was from the Tritt family, so it's not surprising, really; they've been doing that for generations. I don't know why we even bother anymore.'

Dumbledore leaned forward and raised an enquiring eyebrow. 'I have a feeling, however, that you're not here because of the Tritts.'

'No, I am here in regard to Harry Potter's letter,' replied Minerva, getting straight to it. 'You told me to keep you posted. All I know is that he received the letter and he read it. Nothing more.'

The old headmaster sat back and placed one finger on his chin. 'I wasn't sure Petunia and Vernon would even let him read it, but it seems my worries were for naught. I shall have Hagrid take him to Diagon Alley.'

'I haven't received his acceptance letter yet,' Minerva stated.

'Nor do I expect you ever will. I'd doubt he owns an owl,' Dumbledore reminded her.

'Ach, but of course,' Minerva said. 'We're talking about Muggle ways, after all. Speaking of, I think I want to start my run earlier this year. The sooner I face the Muggleborns' families, the sooner I can rest peacefully.'

* * *

Harry was breathing heavily as he collapsed on the bed in his cupboard.

'I can't… believe I just… did that,' he panted. 'What if the police… find me?'

'Then we'll run,' Snapper suggested. 'Relax. Nothing's happened. Nobody saw us.'

Harry took out the stolen book from the library in which every corner of London was mapped.

'So, we're going tomorrow?' asked Harry.

'Yes. I'll steal some money from your uncle's wallet right before he leaves tomorrow, and we'll take the bus to London,' explained Snapper. 'It's a good thing your aunt and uncle don't really care where you are during the day.'

'Yeah…' Harry shrugged and bit his bottom lip. 'Just as long as Aunt Petunia doesn't decide that I have to do some housework tomorrow. Well, I guess I better go get dinner started. Come on.'

* * *

_Rubeus Hagrid would always remember the day the tale had happened._

_'Lily and James Potter are dead.' Dumbledore's voice said from what sounded like a million miles away even though he was right in front of him. The wizard's voice was grave and low, a voice he only used in moments like these._

_Lily and James. Dead. Just like the McKinnons, the Prewetts and half the Order of the Pheonix… It just wasn't fair, but that was Voldemort. He didn't play fair; he played only with power—Dark Magic._

_The next few minutes passed in a blur for Hagrid. Dumbledore continued to speak, but the half-giant's cries were louder. His focus only returned when Dumbledore told him the shocking news._

_'Harry's alive, Hagrid. He's alive,' the headmaster said earnestly. 'He survived the Killing Curse.'_

_Just how Dumbledore had known that information so quickly, Hagrid never knew. He had been much more interested in the story at the time, the hows and the whys of it all. Could it really be possible? However, Dumbledore didn't reveal anything. He did give Hagrid a mission though. A very special mission: Get Harry out of the ruins of the house in Godric's Hollow and to 4 Privet Drive._

_Hagrid never refused a mission from Dumbledore. And so, he went._

_The house was destroyed. Hagrid would have to be fast or the Muggle police might catch him there, and that would make trouble for nothing._

_The front door had been blown wide open. He was halfway down the small driveway when he saw the first dead body in the house, right beside the stairs._

_James Potter._

_Hagrid walked zombie-like toward the soulless body. James's normal crooked smile was replaced by an open mouth, as though he had shouted something in his last moments. His once mischievous eyes were filled with fear in death and stared into nothingness. The young man's glasses laid broken beside him, his hands wandless._

_The only thing that resembled the James Potter Hagrid once knew was his hair. It was sticking out everywhere, just like Lily had hated. She would always complain that James should do something about it, but Hagrid had seen her running her fingers through it a million times per day. The half-giant was sure she'd only pretended that she didn't love it._

_Then Hagrid realised with a start that he had been crying for the past five minutes. He bent down, closed James's eyes, and, letting out a big sniff, walked up the stairs. There, he found the second dead body._

_Lily Potter's eyes didn't even seem green anymore. They looked dead. Everything about her was dead. Her hair, her smile, her nose that she'd had the habit of wrinkling, her…everything. She didn't deserve to die this young._

_Lily had always been a pretty girl, but Hagrid saw in that moment that it had been her soul that had made her so much more beautiful. As a corpse collapsed on the floor, devoid of life, that beauty had gone as well._

_A small noise made Hagrid look up from the ground._

_In a crib was Harry. He was awake and had two large tear tracks running down his red face. He looked like he had cried all there was to cry. His green eyes—Lily's eyes—seemed to shine to the moon and back. His black hair was damp and dirty. Between the bangs, he could see a cut on his forehead. The child was holding on to the crib's bar, looking at Hagrid like he was waiting for something._

_Hagrid picked him up just as someone arrived downstairs and gave a shout so fierce it bordered on a wail: 'NO!'_

_That got Harry to cry._

_'No… Shhh…,' Hagrid soothed, bouncing the baby in his arms. To say he was at a loss over what to do would be an understatement. He had never taken care of a baby before._

_All he knew was that they had to leave. No one was supposed to know of Harry's survival just yet._

_It was too late though; he could hear footsteps coming up the stairs._

_No escape plan went through his head. He'd have to face whomever it was._

_Hagrid breathed freely when he saw Sirius Black approaching the room. He was white and shaking. His eyes wondered from Hagrid to Harry—who had stopped crying—and to Lily._

_'Her—her as well…,' croaked Sirius in a broken voice that sounded so unlike him. He kept running his shaking hands over his face and through his hair. His eyes were wondering pointlessly around the nursery. He looked beyond shocked and sad; he was lost and confused._

_Hagrid just stood there, not really knowing what to tell him._

_'Pafoo,' Harry's voice broke the silence._

_Sirius stopped moving around and laid his eyes on Harry… and then on Hagrid._

_'What…? Why…?' he asked, barely more than a whisper. 'How…?'_

_'He's gone,' Hagrid told him. 'Harry stopped the Killin' Curse. He's gone.'_

_Sirius shook his head. 'No.'_

_'Yeah… It's a myst'ry, but… well, it happened,' Hagrid said as Harry reached out for Sirius._

_Sirius looked over at Lily once more before moving towards Hagrid and Harry._

_'What are you doing here?'_

_'I came ter get Harry out of the ruins,' Hagrid told him truthfully._

_'I—I can take him,' Sirius said, holding his own head. 'I'll take care of him.'_

_'I need ter take him ter his aunt an' uncle. It's Dumbledore's order,' Hagrid explained._

_For the first time that night, Sirius seemed to have snapped out of his trance._

_'What?' he demanded, sounding the closest yet to his regular self. 'That's impossible. He doesn't have an aunt or an uncle.'_

_'Dumbledore said—'_

_'Unless Lily's sister… Are they Muggles, Hagrid?'_

_'Yeah,' he replied, hoping Sirius would let him leave. Others were bound to come investigate soon._

_'I thought Lily didn't really get along with her sister?' Sirius questioned._

_'I dunno,' Hagrid said as he took a peak at his watch. 'But we really need ter get out of here.'_

_It seemed Sirius wasn't going down without a fight, however._

_'They appointed me to be his guardian if ever they'd…if ever anything happened,' Sirius murmured, starting to lose it again. He'd begun moving around once more._

_Harry cried once more when he realised Sirius wasn't going to hold him._

* * *

Hagrid had not seen Harry since that night, and to tell the truth, he was thrilled to be the one appointed to show him the wizarding world.

Privet Drive was exactly how Hagrid remembered it. He made his way on foot to the front door of the Dursleys' house and knocked three times.

The door opened to reveal a thin lady with blond hair. Hagrid didn't even have time to say his greetings before she jumped back a good five feet and looked up in shock at Hagrid's massive form.

'Yer must be Petunia?' Hagrid tried to smile, but he couldn't help noticing the woman's judgmental gaze.

'Who are you? What do you want?' she questioned, glancing past his giant form and toward the neighbours' houses quite nervously.

'I'm Rubeus Hagrid,' he introduced himself and watched a man that resembled a walrus come into view. 'I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds—'

'MUM!' screamed a voice from behind the Dursleys. 'MUM! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MAKING ME A PIE? WHERE ARE YOU?'

'I'm in the hall, Sweetums,' Petunia shouted back. 'Stay in the kitchen!'

'But, why?' the boy's voice shouted back before the child himself appeared in the hall.

The boy, who resembled the man, turned white at the sight of Hagrid.

'Who the bloody hell are you?' the man, who he supposed was Vernon, asked rudely.

'Er—I work at Hogwarts—'

Petunia gasped loudly. 'You—you work there?' she spat.

She exchanged a dark look with her husband.

'We're not interested in your shenanigans. Good bye,' stated Vernon clearly.

With that, the door was slammed in his face.

Hagrid frowned angrily. He had seen enough to get the gist. With one easy push, he cracked open the door—half of it was on the floor.

'Yer don't want to play with me, Dursley!' Hagrid said as he entered the house.

All three Dursleys stood quite shocked at the scene Hagrid had made.

'Now, where's Harry?'

'He's…out,' Petunia said sourly though with a reasonable amount of wariness.

'Well, then, I'll wait here,' Hagrid said, sitting down in the living room.

No one followed him there. He could hear them all whispering away in the hall. Hagrid wondered where Harry was and how long he was going to be gone. He was also a bit nervous about meeting him again after ten years.

It was a good half an hour before Vernon entered the living room.

'You are breaking and entering! Leave or I'll call the police!'

Hagrid snorted.

_The police_.

What were they going to do?

'It's not a joke!' Vernon said with a scowl, his face turning red. 'I demand you leave at once!'

'I'll leave as soon as I speak ter Harry,' replied Hagrid.

'No!' Vernon exclaimed, pointing a chubby finger at him and hissing, 'I forbid you to tell him anything about that school of yours. He doesn't need to know about it.'

'He already knows, doesn't he?' Hagrid asked, a bit confused. 'From the letter he read yesterday.'

'Letter?' Vernon blanched. 'What letter?'

'He didn't get any letter,' stated Petunia, joining them from the doorway.

'Oh, he read the letter alright,' Hagrid said, enjoying the fear in their eyes. 'He already knows everything. Now, where is he?'

'We told you, he's out!' Vernon snapped, pointing at the door. 'Whatever the boy knows, he's not going to go to that school. We won't allow it, and that's final. Now, leave! I'm supposed to be at work in two minutes!'

Hagrid snorted. 'I'd like ter see yer try ter stop 'im goin', Dursley. Yer don't stand a chance against us wizards. But if yer wan' me gone tha' bad, then tell me: Where is Harry Potter?'

* * *

Harry wandered the streets of London with Snapper at his neck, looking for the building mentioned in the book. The streets were crowded, which worked to Harry's advantage since no one took notice of him. There were also all sorts of weird people around, so Harry's snake blended right in.

They had to act fast though because it was only a matter of time before Uncle Vernon realised some of his money was missing. That would cause him to search for Harry only to find him gone.

Harry knew Aunt Petunia had seen him leave the house, but he always left to wander the streets. What she didn't know was how far Harry had gone today for his walk.

'I think the legend is just that…a legend,' Harry said breathlessly after walking around all afternoon. 'We're just running in circles here. There isn't any broken-down old shop!'

'Let's stop and think for a second,' Snapper suggested.

'What is there to think about?' Harry replied exasperated and tired. 'We've been here for ages!'

'Yes, but…' Snapper stopped thoughtfully.

'But what?'

'Well… If you were a wizard—'

'Which I supposedly am.'

'—what kind of things would you use?'

Harry pushed some sweat of his face. 'What does this have to do with anything?'

'We have to think like a—What are you doing?'

Harry had started poking a stranger. He was a bald short man dressed quite properly. He stared down at Harry and then the snake.

'Are you looking for the zoo?'

'Er—no.' Harry blushed as he realised he still had Snapper wrapped around his neck. 'He's domestic.'

'Ah.' The man smiled kindly at him. 'Have you lost your parents?'

'No—I mean, yes,' Harry replied, blushing even further. Why was he so horrible at lying to strangers? 'I—They said they'd be by the old broken-down shop on this street. Could you point me the way?'

'My workplace is just a couple of doors from there. Come on, I'll walk you,' the nice man said, grabbing Harry's hand. 'You don't want to walk in these streets alone.'

'Oh, er—thanks,' Harry said, taken aback that the man was holding his hand. It was a bit awkward.

Thankfully, they didn't have to go far. The man stopped in front of an old building with a sign that read The Leaky Cauldron.

'Well, here we are…,' stated the man, looking around. 'Do you see your parents?'

'Yes, that's them right there!' Harry said, pointing at a thick crowd nearby. 'Thank you, sir.'

Before the man could say anything else, Harry ran off towards the crowd and tried to blend in as best as possible. He was eventually able to hide behind a building's wall.

'Let's wait here a couple of minutes, make sure he's gone, and then we'll go back,' Harry said as he leaned against the brick wall. 'My plans can also work sometimes.'

'Job well done,' approved Snapper.

'It didn't look like a broken-down old shop to me,' Harry pointed out while they waited. 'It looked old, but I don't think it was broken-down.'

'We've past that building at least five times,' said Snapper with an exasperated roll of his eyes. 'How stupid are we?'

'Do you think it's really the passage between the two worlds?' Harry asked nervously.

'There's only one way to find out,' came the snake's response.

Agreeing with his friend, Harry took a deep breath and blew it out in a huff. 'Let's go.'

* * *

**Looking forward to your feedback,**

**Richardred**


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